A peaceful Indigenous protest camp in Saskatoon will wind up its activities on Friday.
The Healing Camp for Justice was started in Victoria Park last week by Chris Martell, whose son died in foster care in 2010.
Camp spokesperson Darla Fourstar says the healing camp was never intended to be a long-term project.
“One or two days is not long enough, so we decided to do it ten days,” she says. “Our last day will be our private day, which will be cleaning up the park, packing up the teepee, making sure all the food and our stuff is given away.”
Fourstar stresses the focus of the camp has been on healing for those who have had negative experiences with Saskatchewan’s childcare system, rather than a protest.
She says camp organizers have worked hard to ensure they have had positive relations with the city.
“We thank the city very much for letting us be here. It’s an honour. They support us, they’ve come down to talk to us, they do patrolling.”
City of Saskatoon Director of Aboriginal Relations, Gilles Dorval, adds Martell has worked closely with the city to ensure they are not in violation of any bylaws.
“He (Martell) wanted to make sure that he didn’t break any rules,” he says. “So when you’re working with individuals that are supportive and will do what they need to do to abide by the protocol and regulations that the city has for public spaces, it makes it a lot easier.”
Fourstar says there are a number of festivities planned for Thursday, including entertainment by Indigenous hip-hop artists in the afternoon and round dance in the evening.
The Saskatoon camp is in contrast to a similar camp going on in Regina’s Wascana Park – Justice for Our Stolen Children.
Organizers of that camp were arrested last month and have been told to vacate the park by both the provincial government and Provincial Capital Commission.
They say they have no plans to leave.
(PHOTO: Healing Camp for Justice in Saskatoon. Photo by Fraser Needham.)